Towards student-centric learning approaches for responsible management education: The relevance of PRME business schools

Abstract

Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering innovation, knowledge dissemination, and leadership in sustainability. Business schools, as incubators for future leaders, equip students with the competencies needed to address global sustainability challenges through responsible management education. Launched in 2023, the i5 PRME (Impactful Five, Principles for Responsible Management Education) initiative highlights the importance of innovative pedagogical approaches in embedding sustainability principles within business education. This study examines how 969 business school educators across 104 countries integrate sustainability concepts and employ student-centric teaching methodologies to enhance learning outcomes, investigating the research question: To what extent do business school educators—particularly those affiliated with PRME signatory institutions—adopt student-centric and innovative teaching methodologies to embed sustainability into their curricula? A mixed-method approach integrating bibliometric analysis, descriptive statistics, and theoretical framework development was employed, resulting in the identification of five key research strands on sustainable development pedagogies and offering directions for future inquiry. Findings show that PRME signatory business schools adopt interactive, experiential learning techniques more than their non-PRME counterparts, contributing to a more dynamic and impactful sustainability education. The study stresses PRME's role in bridging education gaps, refining classroom strategies, fostering curriculum innovation, supporting faculty development, encouraging peer learning, and strengthening institutional sustainability commitments. Additionally, it highlights the need for continuous research and policy reforms to further embed sustainability across business education curricula worldwide, ensuring future leaders are well-equipped to drive sustainable transformation in various sectors.